The men’s basketball team dropped their first home game of the new year as the St. Lawrence Vikings held on to win 81-69 on Jan. 27.
The results of the game seemed set in stone by halftime but the resilient Thunder found themselves battling to comeback during the final quarters of the game.
This game marks the third loss in a row for the Thunder. Losing streaks seem to come to the Thunder in threes as this current slump matches one they experienced during the first three games of the season.
While the Thunder started the season off 0-3, they bounced back with strong play in the next eight games to go 7-1. This current losing streak they’re facing brings their record to 7-7 on the season.
The Thunder weren’t able to grab the lead the entire game although they kept it close through four quarters.
“At any point in the game we could of came out with a lead,” said head coach Trevor Costello. “We just didn’t get the results we wanted. We took the shots but the outcome wasn’t in our favour.”
The smallest deficit the Thunder faced was after the first quarter, 11-12. At halftime the lead became woder and the Thunder were trailing 19-28.
By the third quarter the Vikings led 55-40. The fourth and final quarter was a complete shootout for both teams; the Thunder posted 29 points but still came short of the comeback, losing to the Vikings 81-69.
Fan favourite, Shymar Brewster, had an electric game both at his end and at the Vikings end. His solid offensive play had the Thunder inching towards a comeback. The entire team came together in the final quarters and almost completed one of sports greatest feats, a comeback.
“The whole team wants to win, we’ve been playing well so losing these games doesn’t help,” said Costello. “We were winning earlier in the season so we just need to get back on track.”
The Thunder struggled to defend Vikings guard, Jaz Bains, who posted a team high 36 points and 11 rebounds.
The Thunder played the Vikings earlier in the season on Nov. 19 and picked up a controversial win. The Vikings had to forfeit due to having an ineligible player per Ontario Colleges Athletics Association rules.
The losing streak was snapped by the Thunder the day after against the Loyalist Lancers on Jan. 28, 70-64. The first win of the new year improved their record to 8-7 on the season.